Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-13
Curious Proclamations.

King Charles ii. issued long and
solemn proclamation for the due OBJ
servance of lent. alleging for it, among
other reasons, ''the good it pro-
duces in the employment of fisher
men," In other proclamations he
strongly denounced the excessive
gliding of coaches and chariots," the
spreading of false news" the Eileen
tious talking Of state and government, !"
and against building in and about
London and Westminster. On the
last-named grievance the royal edict
declares that ssgreat inconveniences
daily grow by the increase of new
buildings, the people increasing in
such great numbers that they are not
well to be governed by the wonted Of
fieers." The king adds the hope that
if houses are to be multiplied they
should at any rate be built of brick or
stone and not of timber, not only as
precaution against fire, but also as in
volving little if any more cost.
Royal edicts or proclamations have
never yet in England been armed with
the force of the laws. Indeed, the
proclamation of British monarch
may even become an illegal act, if it be
in opposition to the laws of the land.
Several times during the course of En-
glish history-and notably during the
reigns of Henry VIII. and James l.
attempts have been made to give to
royal proclamations the force of acts
of parliament; but they have ALWAYS
Jailed, as being altogether opposed to
the first principles Of representative
government. Had it been otherwise.
the whole course of English history
might have been changed, as will be
seen from the following examples of
the more curious and remarkable of
these royal edicts:
1t is very amusing to notice the
proclamations of Charles H., issued
during the most licentious period of
the Court of the ''Merrie Monarch"
One was against ''vicious, debauched
and profane persons, who are thus
described: ga sort of men of whom
we have heard much and are suf-
fcently ashamed; who spend their time
in taverns and tipping houses; giving
no other evidence of their affection to
us but in drinking our health and in
Weighing against all others who are
not of their own dissolute temper, ant,
who, in truth, have more discredited
our cause by the license of their man
ners and lives than they could ever
advance it by their affection OF cour-
age.
Queen Mary issued a proclamation
which throws a curious light upon the
antipathy which prevailed in England
at that time against all foreigners of
whatever kind or degree. The edict
commands all the Queens subjects to
behave themselves peaceably toward
the strangers coming with King Philip;
that noblemen and gentlemen should
warn their servants to refrain from
'sstrife and contention, either by out
ward deeds, taunting words, unseen
~ countenance, by mimicking them,
etc"
King Henry VIII, toward the close
of his reign, issued proclamation to
abolish the translations of the script
ures and to prohibit the reading of the
bibles by the people. Another edict
by the same monarch forbade the CIR
culation in the country of English
books and pamphlets printed abroad;
GH0 IodoOH why SuCu puOllCdCIoHS were
''printed abroad being that the press
at home was gagged.
King Charles l. by royal edict
changed the seasons for his sacred
touch for the kings eviD from whit
suntide to Mich8lmas, 'sas more con-
venient for the temperature of the sea-
son." Another proclamation by the
same monarch was directed to the
suppression OF cursing and swear
ing"
King James |. was voluminous
edict-writer and their frequency con-
siderably lessened their effect. More
than one solemnly warned the people
against speaking too feely of mat
tiers above their reach" and prohibit
ing all 'sundutiful speeches."